Top 10 Most Famous Romance Novels Ever Written

These emotions, including love, passion, feelings, and relationships, are simple to feel but hard to convey in writing. The following 10 love stories, in chronological order, have managed to achieve this monumental feat and allowed us to enjoy some of the most romantic novels ever written.

1. Pride and Prejudice (1813), Jane Austen

It is not necessary to say that Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen’s classic novel, has sold over 120 million copies and been adapted and imitated numerous times. Elizabeth Bennet is a mature woman with her ideas about love, marriage and relationships. These ideas clash with the 19th-century English society. She has had a string of bad encounters with many people, including Mr. Darcy, a proud and class-conscious bachelor. With whom she slowly develops an odd chemistry.

2. Wuthering Heights (1847), Emily Bronte

Although initially criticized for depicting blind love in a way that was too obvious, the romantic classic is still one of the most well-known love stories in English Literature. Heathcliff, Bronte’s protagonist is a foster child. He develops an unconditional love towards his foster sister Catherine, but a little gossip in the town will soon destroy them both.

3. Jane Eyre (1847), Charlotte Bronte

The Charlotte Bronte novel is widely praised for its first-person narrative that addresses issues of sexuality and class. It explores the life story of its protagonist, from her childhood to her marriage to Mr. Rochester. Many critics were forced to acknowledge Jane Eyre’s persuasiveness in convincing audiences that her views were not compatible with the status quo of 19th-century England.

4. Anna Karenina (1877), by Leo Tolstoy

Times Magazine calls Anna Karenina the greatest novel ever written. It is Tolstoy’s masterpiece, and, according to him, his very first novel. Karenina is trapped in 19th-century Russian upper-class society’s social rules. She falls for Count Vronsky, and she is willing to divorce her husband and be rejected by Russian society. Her decision turns out to be far more important than she could have imagined.

5. Margaret Mitchell, Gone with the Wind (1936).

This romantic classic, second most popular American book, is bildungsroman. It’s based on Scarlett O’Hara’s character, the wealthy daughter of a plantation owner, and her journey through love, marriage, and the Civil War South. Gone With the Wind, Mitchell’s sole novel, sold more than thirty million copies and won her the Pulitzer Prize for 1937. It was also adapted into a movie two years later.

6. Boris Pasternak (1957). Doctor Zhivago

Boris Pasternak’s Doctor Zhivago, a love story that was intertwined in the aftermath of the Russian Revolution and an epic love story, received only rejection from the USSR. Dr. Yury Zivago, a poet, physician, and philosopher, is caught between his love for Tonya, his wife, and Lara, Lara’s wife and political activist.

7. Love Story (1970), by Erich Segal

Love Story, often referred to as “the Romeo and Juliet” of the 20th Century, was the best-selling romantic fiction at the time it was published. It was translated into more than twenty languages and has been adapted numerous times. Segal’s Love Story is the story of Oliver and Jenifer, two lovers who come from different backgrounds. Their love grows until they find themselves in unexpected circumstances.

8. Outlander (1991), Diana Gabaldon

Although Gabaldon didn’t like romance in her novels, Outlander, Gabaldon’s 1991 book, won the RITA Award for best romantic novel the year it was published. Chair Randall is a 20th-century nurse who mysteriously finds herself transported back in time to the 18th. She is now in love with two men from very different periods of history. Recently, Outlander was made into a series.

9. Nicholas Sparks’s The Notebook (1996)

The Notebook, based on a true story and adapted by Hollywood as well as Bollywood. Nicholas Sparks is a romantic author who has been widely acclaimed. After being torn apart by World War II, Noah and Alllie share a short summer together. They reunite 14 years later but times have changed. Allie is now engaged to another man.

10. Audrey Niffenegger (2003), The Time Traveler’s Wife

The debut novel by Niffenegger, which combines science fiction with romance, was widely praised for its unusual blend of science fiction. Henry suffers from a disease that allows him to time travel, which affects his relationship with Clare and his personal life. This novel raises deep existential questions. It was a bestseller, selling more than 2.5 million copies.